SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1907. PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13558, 9 November 1907, Page 4

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1907. PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

■•• m> , The Public. Works Statement! presented to Parliament last night is a plain businesslike document framed on exactly similar lines to last year's, with, little more than the necessary alterations in the figures. The total expenditure last year exceeded t\so millions sterling, and nearly as. much isl asked for to 4 meet the, current year's expenditure. \Of this sum one million is to ]be borrowed and £800,000 to^e provided out of the ordinary revenue of the Dominion. It is a lot of money ' for a community of less than a million people to spend every year, though perhaps not too much if it was judiciously expended, about which there is room to doubt. Is it wise to lavish money to such an extend upon Roturoa at a time when the urgent needs of settlement in the matter pf roads .and bridges are unsatisfied? , Eiuring 1905-6 the expenditure upon buildings* drainage, electrical works, water supply, etc., out of the Public Works Fund, was £9279. Last year new bath buildings and water supply works alone absorbed £25; 344, while £33,000 is asked for this year. Rotorua is no, doubt a valuable asset as a tourist and health resort, but it is also a very costly place to keep up. Another question that occurs is, whether the system of carrying railway and road works is economical. We do not think it is, and the fact that th.c local deviation, a mile and three quarters in length, will cost fugy^ "£45,000 strengthens that Aben .jiere is the Mount Egmont railway, of about six miles, whiph had cost, up to Marcn 31st some ,£30,000, and for which a further vote of £15,000 is proposed. In his I^os Statement the Minister iot Public Works stated that a vote of £15, 000, added to a previous expenditure of £1986, would complete the line to the point where »ihe first deposit of stone is met with, and would also cofer the^cost of the crushing plant. More than two years have passed since then, double the money has been spent, and £15,000 more wanted, making about £45,000 in al^ and there is no stone yet: Again, there is the Stratford-HuifOa line, of less thap sixteen, miles, much of it very easy country, which to the end of March last had cost over £50,000, and for which £20,000 is proposed this year, and.it is not completed to Huiroa. The 00-operative system of carrying on public works may have its merits, but it appears to be extravagant, notwithstanding the repeated statements of Ministers to the contrary. An important statement is made that the /Government has decided to give the requisite, twelve month* notice of its intention to acquire the Manawatu line. The line ought, of course, to be part of the State system, but it is to be hoped that the financial outlook will be more promising when the time comes to pay tHe purchase money than it is at present. Very wisely the Government has decided that the time 1 is not opportune to proceed with the proposed scheme for the utilisation of water-power, but another scheme takes its place, for irrigating arid lands in the south. As far as Taranaki is conoerned, the most important question concerning the Public Works Statement is, what is proposed to be spent upon roads and bridges? In spite of prayers from the back blocks and promises from Ministers there is not any more satisfaction than 'ustial to be gathered from the Statement in this respect.. The total vote, including tourist roads and roads to open Crown lands, is barely £40,000, about the same as usual, and it includes a number of trumpery little votes which appear year after year on the Estimates, and end there. For the most important road—the Ohura — £4500 is proposed, or

£500 more than was Toted last year. It will reduce the gap between the metalled portions by a mile or two, but.it is only playing with the question, and the same remark applies to many other roads a:nd votes. There are a few votes for departmental buildings in New Plymouth to which exception will no doubt be taken, but with the growth of the town and district it is impossible to carry on the work without greater facilities. The police station is a wretched place, and is to bs replaced by a new building, and some additions are to be made to the Government Buildings to provide absolutely necessary room: Altogether the Statement is just an ordinary one, no bettefr and no worse than usual.